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WHO THE HELL IS ASHILEE ROBERTS?

Rebel Kulture Magazine sits down for an exclusive interview with Atlanta's newest and brightest producer Ashilee Roberts.

by Tawanda Timmons

Producer, audio engineer, instrumentalist, and film score composer are all titles that identify Ashilee Roberts. The multi-talented Detroit native, now based in Atlanta, GA is a force on all fronts. A lover of all things music since childhood, Ashilee has crafted her own unique sound. As a producer, her skills allow her to work with multiple genres from Hip Hop to classical. Rebel Kulture Magazine recently caught up with Ashilee for an in-depth interview.

Rebel Kulture:

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to talk with you. Your Instagram tag is, “Who in the hell is Ashilee Roberts?”  Tell our readers just who in the hell is she?

Ashilee:

I play about ten instruments, but only four professionally. Viola, violin, cello, piano, upright bass, bass guitar, guitar (acoustic & electric), harp, didgeridoo, and drums. Out of those I play viola, violin and cello professionally. I started playing music when I was 9 years old. I’m the type of person that needs to be hands on and busy all the time and music really interests me. I just picked up a harmonica two days ago, I’m like alright I want to learn this too. I always want to learn and expand.

 

Rebel Kulture:

You say you are a professional frequency bender. Explain that moniker.

 

Ashilee:

That means in multiple ways I manipulate frequencies because I do so much. Like I could say I’m a professional violist, or a professional audio engineer or a professional producer. But it’s like they all involve bending frequencies so I’m a professional frequency bender.

 

Rebel Kulture:

Which one of those ten instruments do you feel your most proficient in?

Ashilee:

Definitely the viola. That’s one thing in my life I will brag about. I can play the hell out of the viola.

Rebel Kulture:

So how much different is the violin to the viola?

Ashilee:

There’s just a slight tone difference because

the viola is bit bigger. It sounds more handsome.

It’s like the saxophone of the strings.

 

Rebel Kulture:

That’s a great analogy. So, what prompted

your move from Detroit to Atlanta?

 

Ashilee:

Well. Funny story. Upon graduating college I was presented with a contract to join a German Symphony Orchestra. It was an eight-year contract, but it was a great contract. I would have been a millionaire in two years and traveled all around the world. I was very close to signing it. It was to play the viola in a symphony. I thought about it and decided I didn’t want to play someone else’s music for the rest of my life. Being a millionaire is cool but I can get there a different way. I was like I want to play my own music. Right before I graduated college I came to Atlanta for spring break and I was like, I like this place. Black people have money here. Then I decided to move out here right after graduation.

 

Rebel Kulture:

How did your parents feel about their little girl taking this journey to another city to “capture her dreams?”

 

Ashilee:

My parents have always supported me. When I was 13 I became a professional. I joined a professional symphony. So, they were already use to me traveling for music. I knew back then I wanted to pursue music for the rest of my life.

 

Rebel Kulture:

I know you’re a great producer and engineer. What advice can you give others that are pursing those same goals?

 

Ashilee:

I would tell them not to follow people or to chase things that don’t want to be caught. For example, a lot of producers will try to go after well-known artists like a Rihanna or a Future. Rather than going after people who are already on, work with someone that you can reach easily and that you can build with. This way you can plant your seed instead of trying to grab off from someone elses tree.

 

Rebel Kulture:

How long have you been producing?

 

Ashilee:

Almost three years now.

 

Rebel Kulture:

Who have you produced that solidified your status as the go to person for a hit record?

 

Ashilee:

I get a lot of traffic from Miss Mulatto (IG: @iammissmulatto) I’ve worked closely with a lot of people who have helped influence Future. I was Young Thug’s engineer for a while. Just word of mouth really. I think I’m easily adaptable to people’s sounds and helping them enhance that.

 

 

Rebel Kulture:

What producers do you listen to and is there anything you have learned from them?

 

Ashilee:

I like Hans Zimmerman. He’s a film score composer. I really like Sarah Chang, she’s a violinist. Andrea Bocelli. He’s an opera singer. Also, there is an Indian producer named A.R. Rahman. He’s like the Indian Kanye times 10! Some are friends of mine like Brandon Thomas. He always influences me to push the box, to not even think about there being a box.  Other friends of mine, like Mook Beatz, 30 Roc. We all have different sounds. We’re all just crazy. 

 

Rebel Kulture:

What do you think the music industry is lacking?

 

Ashilee:

I feel like now it’s lacking more thought provoking ideas. Not to say that there aren’t artist and music out there that make people think, but I think the overall mainstream is going in a kind of negative direction as far as influence. Every person perceives things differently. So, it’s tough to say what it needs. I think it has everything that it needs. It’s just about what the people want.

 

Rebel Kulture:

What are you working on right now?

 

Ashilee:

Right now, I’m helping score the movie “It”. It’s a new Warner Brothers remake about that scary clown movie. I just hooked up with this amazing artist, her name is Losa. She is out of Atlanta, Ga. We just decided to do a project together today and I’m very excited. She is fire. I just finished up a mix take with M-City Jr. He just signed to Atlanta Records. Three Kings has his album coming out. It’s called One Crown 5. There’s a bunch of my work on there. Gregory Lamont is another artist I’m working with. That’s probably going to be one of my biggest projects to come out this year. He is one of the artist that I have that I can build with and focus on.

 

Rebel Kulture:

Where do you see yourself in five years?

 

Ashilee:

I see myself in a really nice recording studio doing what I’m doing now on a larger scale. Where I’m relaxed and I don’t have to worry about making a profit so much. I can just relax and make the music.

 

Rebel Kulture:

Coming from a city like Detroit whose economic struggle is well-know, how would you use your platform to help your city?

 

Ashilee:

I would build a lot of art and recreation centers. There is not much art there at all. Also, I would build studios that people can use. I would inform people that they don’t have to be the front person necessarily, or the artist or producer to make a great living off this music stuff. There are thousands of jobs in music. Everywhere you go on this planet you’re going to hear some kind of frequency. Someone is controlling and making that frequency so there will always be work. I just want to teach people that.

 

 

Rebel Kulture:

Ashilee it’s been so much fun talking to you. We will continue following your amazing career. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with Rebel Kulture Magazine.

 

Please free to reach out to Ashilee Roberts on social media:

Instagram and Twitter:

@ashileeashilee

Website:

http://www.ashileeashilee.com/

Rebel Kulture Magazine Ashilee Roberts

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Who the Hell is Ashley Roberts?

Tawanda Timmons

Photography by Divad Sanders

Rebel Kulture Magazine Ashilee Roberts
Rebel Kulture Magazine Ashilee Roberts
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